Trump confirms US strikes on Venezuela, says Maduro captured, flown out
Author:RhondaPublished:January 3, 2026
Trump announced the success of a “large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country.”
A column of smoke rises during multiple explosions in the early hours of the morning, in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026 in this screen grab obtained from video obtained by Reuters.(photo credit: Video Obtained by REUTERS )ByREUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFFUpdated: Venezuela declared a national emergency on Saturday after the US carried out strikes across the country, with explosions heard in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, and the southern part of the city losing power.
In a post on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump stated that the US had “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country.”
In a government statement, Venezuela rejected “military aggression” by the United States government and said the attacks took place in Caracas and Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira States.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed reports of explosions and military operations taking place in Venezuela and called for emergency Organization of American States (OAS) and UN meetings on Saturday morning.
Picture of fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. Loud explosions, accompanied by sounds resembling aircraft flyovers, were heard in Caracas around 2:00 am (credit: Luis JAIMES / AFP via Getty Images)
The US embassy in Venezuela advised against travel to the country and urged people to shelter in place.
International leaders respond to attack
Petro said in a post on X, “right now they are bombing Caracas. Alert to the whole world, they have attacked Venezuela. They are bombing with missiles. The OAS and the UN must meet immediately.”
Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez denounced “the criminal attack by the US on Venezuela” in a social media post on X, calling it “state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people.”
Iran, an ally of Venezuela, condemned the attack as “a blatant violation of [Venezuela’s] national sovereignty and territorial integrity.” The Iranian foreign ministry called on the UN Security Council to “act immediately to halt the unlawful aggression” and hold those responsible accountable.
Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional reported that several helicopters were spotted over Caracas amid the explosions.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised land operations in Venezuela, amid efforts to pressure President Nicolas Maduro to leave office, including expanded sanctions, a ramped-up US military presence in the region, and more than two dozen strikes on vessels allegedly involved in trafficking drugs in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
Petro had noted on Friday that a missile strike hit the region of Alta Guiara, El Nacional reported. Trump commented on the strike, which allegedly targeted a port link with drug smuggling operations, saying “Maduro’s days were numbered.”
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
However, a CBS reporter on X said that Trump administration officials are aware of the reports of explosions and aircraft over Caracas.
The US FAA has issued a NOTAM prohibiting US aircraft from operating within Venezuelan airspace today.
This is a developing story.
